Transition Llambed

The Lampeter Permaculture Group and Transition Llambed (Lampeter Transition) have very close connections and LPG members have been major contributors to its development since its formation in 2007. This continues to be the case.

Central to the Transition ethos is the realisation and acceptance that peak oil is imminent or even past. This is the point at which oil production reaches its maximum and the availability of this limited resource begins to reduce. This situation will run alongside a worldwide increase in demand. It is inevitable that oil prices and therefore energy prices will rise and continue to rise. Our whole global economy relies on oil to keeps the wheels of the modern world turning.

Running parallel to peak oil is the issue of climate change. Huge amounts of research shows it is happening and is very probably due to human actions and the burning of fossil fuels.

The Transition movement is a positive initiative that acknowledges these issues and aims to create local communities that become resilient to the changes brought about by the necessity to use less oil and fossil fuels. This can take on a variety of forms from producing much more of our food locally to learning or relearning skills that would contribute to individual and community self-reliance. It is about imagining and planning a viable and sustainable future and working towards it rather than trying to crisis manage difficulties that will arise and will probably be well beyond our control locally.

We must start to develop an alternative system because the present one is unsustainable. Rob Hopkins strongly recommends that every Transition Group should have someone who understands permaculture in a key role. This would ensure that its principles are included in whatever may develop.

The Transition Llambed Development Trust has recently been established to promote and develop the use of the Victoria Hall in Lampeter as a hub for Transition initiatives. Lampeter Permaculture Group will continue to play an important role within Transition Llambed.